Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Surgery outcomes and risks for common calcaneal tendon problems in 80
By Wylie, Sebastian et al.·Published in Veterinary surgery : VS·2026·University of Bristol, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Complications and outcomes following surgical management of common calcaneal tendon pathology in 80 dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
An 8-year-old Labrador was brought in for limping due to a problem with the common calcaneal tendon (CCT) in his back leg. He underwent surgery to repair the tendon, which involved immobilizing the joint, but there was a significant risk of complications, including the need for further surgery. In comparison, another surgical option called pantarsal arthrodesis had a lower complication rate and did not require additional procedures. Overall, both surgeries had similar short-term outcomes, but owners should be aware of the higher risks associated with tendon repair.
People also search for: dog limping after tendon surgery · Labrador CCT repair complications · pantarsal arthrodesis recovery time
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To report the complications and outcomes following surgical management of common calcaneal tendon (CCT) pathology in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SAMPLE POPULATION: A total of 80 dogs with CCT pathology underwent 89 surgeries. METHODS: Retrospective data were reviewed from five veterinary referral centers for dogs with CCT pathology that underwent surgical treatment (January 2011 to December 2021). Clients completed a Liverpool Osteoarthritis in Dogs (LOAD) questionnaire to assess long-term outcomes. RESULTS: Tendon repair with tarsocrural immobilization was performed in 46/89 limbs (51.7%), with three-loop pulley the most common suture pattern, used in 19/46 tendon repairs (41.3%). Pantarsal arthrodesis was performed in 32/89 limbs (36%) and temporary tarsocrural immobilization without tendon repair in 11/89 limbs (12.3%). Median time from surgery to final follow-up at the referral center was 10 weeks (range: 6-256 weeks). There was no difference in complication rate between tendon repair (56.5%) and pantarsal arthrodesis (42.8%) (p = .543). Tendon repair with tarsocrural immobilization had a significantly higher catastrophic complication rate (26.1%) than pantarsal arthrodesis (0%) (p = .005). A total of 23 LOAD questionnaires were returned. There was no difference in mildly affected dogs between the three surgical groups (p = .493). CONCLUSION: Pantarsal arthrodesis and CCT repair surgeries had comparable short-term outcomes and complication rates. However, there is a greater risk of complications requiring revision surgery following temporary tarsocrural immobilization, with or without tendon repair, compared to pantarsal arthrodesis. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The increased risk of revision surgery should be discussed with owners, considering the potential financial and treatment implications for their dogs.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41178525/